


Bravery

by lover_of_blue_roses



Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: F/M, Flirting, Get Down Give Joy Gift Exchange, OFC is who White Queen is about, POV Third Person, and maybe in love, both sad folks that believe in hope, brian's pov, meet cute but they are both morbid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:55:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28282806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lover_of_blue_roses/pseuds/lover_of_blue_roses
Summary: Brian has a chance encounter with someone he vaguely remembers. If only he could remember what history he has with this lovely woman.
Relationships: Brian May/OFC, brian may/reader, prelash
Comments: 8
Kudos: 7





	Bravery

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: For Brian maybe something surrounding old friends that meet later on in his career and slowly fall for each other. Maybe autumn related.
> 
> For tumblr exchange: 'Get Down, Give Joy Gift Exchange'

"Do you know where you are?"

Brian in fact wasn't sure where he was, but he did recognize the face in front of him although the memory was faint. That was the problem with fame, he'd simply met too many people. Even if this woman was exceptionally lovely. "Uh, no I- um-" Brian was wondering if he should mention it, somehow acknowledge that he knew her face.

"Well if you tell me where you're going I might be able to help," and she smiled at him, soft and warm. Somethings were beyond beauty, he didn't care too much for conventional beauty or made up faces of makeup or plastic surgery. Despite his rockstar achievements, he had simple wants and there was nothing like an enchanting smile that lights up the eyes. 

"I'm looking for where an Alfred Mason might be staying," Brian said offering Freddie's favorite alias. Between Rudolph de Rainbow and Judge Dread that Roger and John respectively choose for each other, Freddie's was actually perfectly serviceable. Most days Brian forgot that the band's sonic volcano was made up of their youngest members, as they were all guilty of shenanigans, but honestly the hounding press was no joking matter.

The familiar woman's smile twisted wickedly into a smirk, "I did imagine." So she knew who Queen was, possibly had even been told to watch out for a clog wearing poodle giant as his friends lovingly described him. She tilted her head and led him towards the stairs. 

Brian followed her easily enough, having traveled lightly enough to be able to carry his own gear. "Do you- work here then?"

The woman blushed terribly, her flush painting even her ears red. "Ah- uh, not exactly." 

Ah, so a fan then. Brian must confess that he was pleased with the idea of her wanting to spend time with him in this stolen way, as he too wanted to spend more time with her. If only he could remember from where he knew her face. 

"I- Well it's complicated but my brother married my old boyfriend's sister, and he manages hotels, including this hotel. So like- I'm not staff 'staff' because I don't work exclusively here but I was looking for a job because you know, hey *money*! But like- I'm not just approaching random people. Not that you're a random person. Not the rock star thing, the -I mean we are still estranged... strangers?- but like we did have a class together at university. Not that I don't like the rock thing too-" she rambled on incessantly. 

The lightbulb clicked in Brian's mind. He did remember her. She hadn't been in his physics program, she'd been in the chemistry department, but he still remembered her. He's ashamed to say it's mostly because she was pretty and one of the few girls in the sciences. While he had only watched from afar as she waxed and waned like the moon in the halls and in what few classes they had in common, she mostly stood out to him for what a big deal his classmates had made about her. For all that he sometimes felt his mother's pressure that he hadn't been the girl she'd always wanted, school had already been difficult enough without constant scrutiny for his gender.

He remembered her as she was in the late 60's before Queen. Younger of course, but also less beautiful to his eyes, having only grown more so with maturity. Or perhaps it was how she held herself, less scared of the world and her position in it. 

"And now you're working in a hotel." Fuck. Brian realised as soon as he said it that he shouldn't have, way to put his foot in his mouth, especially to such a lovely girl that hadn't done anything to deserve it. "I just mean- I'm a musician now. And here we are in a hotel in Zurich after being classmates in London." Great if he wasn't careful, he'd ramble just as much as her. "Life can be strange like that, small world and all."

She nodded seemingly a little shyer after he accidently knocked her life's trajectory. "It hasn't been all smooth sailing for me I'm afraid, nor have I landed so neatly on my feet as you. I didn't- I know you finished before your doctorate but you got your masters, I... couldn't manage." 

Brian unfortunately knows what that's like, even though he made a successful, desirable career out of his hobby. Still he can't ever forget that conversation he had with his father, how the man he wanted nothing more than to please, had looked at him like- like he was a disappointment, a failure. He could only imagine how it felt as it wasn't just her father, but her classmates and teachers telling her she had no business in science. How it must have felt, like she was proving them right. Not just a personal failure that affected only herself or her closest family, but a failure to society.

And with that cheerful thought she stopped them in front of room 410, from which raucous partying could be heard. Brian knocked and a joyful Phoebe spotted them from the peephole, swinging the door open, "Brian! Do come in, you're eagerly awaited!" Quickly he ushered them inside before anyone can see, can know, that Queen is in their midst and descend upon them.

"Oh nice Brian! Already bringing someone of value to this place. Tell me she's staying!" Crystal winked at Brian's ex-classmate. He was drunk and possibly high, as it appears everyone else was, and his lewd intentions were clear. Nice to know they didn't feel the need to wait for Brian to kick things off. 

Phoebe, who actually seems to be the soberist of the bunch, only then noticed the woman at his side. And she looked at Brian the question clear in her eyes, 'Do you want me to stay?'

Brian was always eager to reminisce especially about such an interesting and volatile part of his life, but this was more than that. And even if their conversation turned dull, he couldn't say he didn't find her attractive. He admonished himself for the thought, as though women's only purpose being for men, wasn't exactly what she fought against at university. But he almost couldn't help himself, she's just so lovely. And not only in physical beauty, he saw those kind of girls all the time, most often on Roger's arm. He's had them himself from time to time, perk of being a rockstar, but it was just so... shallow and meaningless in the end. 

She was intelligent clearly, enough to get into the same uni as him, and determined even if she didn't finish her degree or was using it now. What he wanted was to reconnect with what he could clearly see is a kindred soul, doing their best to look for purpose and meaning in life even as they struggle. He thought he might have been wrong in what he considered earlier, it isn't that she was less scared than she used to be; only more brave and perhaps even more use to wearing a mask to conceal it. The kind of person Brian could really be vulnerable with. "If you want, you are more than very welcome here." Tonight, and possibly even longer than that. 

She bit her lip and looked away, flattered by his tone more than his word, but then she looked back at him. Determined and braved just like he thought. He couldn't wait to get to know her even better.

**Author's Note:**

> Why is OFC the white queen? See I have this permit that says: I can do whatever I want.


End file.
